by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Walker, Garrett shine as Wylie offense explodes for 11-1 run-rule win over Cooper

Needing a win over Cooper and an Abilene High loss to Wichita Falls Memorial to move back into position to control its own destiny in the District 4-5A championship race, the Wylie baseball team got both Friday.

The Bulldogs did their part with an 11-1 home win over the Cougars, while Memorial rallied past AHS for a 7-5 win on the other side of town to create a logjam atop the league standings, where Wylie (18-5-1, 7-3), Abilene High (19-9-1, 7-3) and Memorial (15-14, 8-4) all remain in contention for the district title.

The rule-rule victory — and the offensive explosion that helped facilitate it — were both welcome sights for Wylie coach Grant Martin, whose team was coming off a 2-0 win over Cooper on Tuesday and had averaged just four runs per game over its last five contests. And with Friday’s results, the Bulldogs can now clinch at least a share of the district championship with a sweep of last-place Wichita Falls Legacy in its final district series next week.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wichita Falls Memorial rallies past Abilene High on night former coach is honored

April 16 is slowly turning into Jim Reese Day on the campus of Abilene High.

Five years to the day after Reese was honored with a retirement ceremony as he neared the end of his career leading the AHS softball team, the Abilene High baseball team honored the man that led that program from 1995-1999 prior to their District 4-5A matchup with Wichita Falls Memorial at Blackburn Field on Thursday.

Under Reese’s leadership, the Eagles reached the third round of the playoffs in 1996, 1997 and 1998. The final two years were as the District 4-5A champion while the first run came after AHS finished in third place in district.

Coming off a 1-0 win in nine innings over the Mavericks on Tuesday, the Eagles saw several missed opportunities early in the game come back to cost them late as Memorial rallied for a 7-5 win to spoil the night’s festivities that saw former AHS coaches Derran Lackey and Ryan Lewis in attendance, along with a number players whose lives have been touched by Reese.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: What’s that blip on the radar? Perhaps one of the best Jim Ned softball teams ever

TUSCOLA — While it may be a bit early to start talking about the best Jim Ned softball teams of all time, one thing can be backed up with facts: the Lady Indians have clinched their first district title in nearly two decades and coach Erica Jones believes it’s about time The Tribe received a little recognition.  

And, after having endured a 22-minute butt chewing from Jones (I timed it) on Wednesday, I certainly wouldn’t disagree. 

Entering today’s matchup with seventh-ranked Wall, the Lady Indians are 24-4 overall (despite a very difficult schedule) and 11-0 in District 3-3A. They are ranked 13th in the state and are coming off an impressive 7-3 win over 15th-ranked Clyde on Tuesday night — a victory that locked up the district title and one I missed to cover an area baseball game. 

That didn’t go over too well, which is understandable. 

The Lady Indians, regardless of the outcome against Wall today, will have the district’s top seed heading into the playoffs — something we haven’t seen from Jim Ned softball since the George W. Bush Administration. That’s a long time ago. So long ago, that it predates the birth dates of any current Jim Ned player.

Continue reading “EVAN REN: What’s that blip on the radar? Perhaps one of the best Jim Ned softball teams ever” →

Baseball stat leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 16)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 16.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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Area Softball Stat Leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 16)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 16.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High clinches outright district title, spoils Wylie’s Senior Night with 18-2 win

When the Abilene High and Wylie softball teams have met in recent years, the result has typically been a thrilling, low-margin pitcher’s duel, where scoring opportunities are rare and every run feels like a small victory.

Heading into Tuesday’s matchup between the teams at Bulldog Field, the last five regular-season meetings had been decided by two or fewer runs with just 14 combined runs being scored in those games.

Tuesday’s game was … well … different. After a scoreless first inning seemed to foreshadow another tight, low-scoring affair, the Lady Eagles exploded for five runs in the second. And the hits and runs continued from there for AHS, which pounded out an 18-2 victory to spoil Wylie’s Senior Night and complete its second consecutive perfect run through District 4-5A play.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

DISTRICT 4-5A BASEBALL: Fletcher, McCarty combine for shutout as Wylie takes thriller over Cooper; Ferguson dominant in AHS win

While the Cooper and Wylie baseball teams will be headed to the postseason in different playoff brackets, there was still a lot on the line for both sides when they met at Cougar Field on Tuesday in a key District 4-5A matchup.

Cooper entered the Southtown Showdown trailing Abilene High by three games in the standings in the race for the top seed in the Division I bracket with four games to play — including a pair with the Eagles next week. The Cougars entered the game knowing that they would probably have to go 4-0 over the next two weeks against their crosstown foes to improve their playoff positioning.

Wylie, on the other hand, trailed Wichita Falls Memorial by one game for the top seed in the Division II bracket — with the Mavericks holding the head-to-head tiebreaker after taking two of three district contests from the Bulldogs. Wylie was in better shape, knowing that Memorial closes out its regular season this week against AHS and the Bulldogs would potentially be in control of their own seeding destiny with a win on Tuesday.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stamford takes advantage of eight Anson miscues to score mercy rule win

ANSON — For Stamford it was a game that solidified its position in the District 8-2A standings. For Anson, it became one of those games that a team would just as soon forget about. 

For the record, Stamford took Tuesday’s contest at AHS, 13-3 via the mercy rule in five innings. What relegated it to Anson’s spam file, however, was the fact that the Bulldogs achieved this with only six hits. The gaps between those hits were filled with multiple Tiger miscues (eight in all), along with five walks and two hit batsmen.   

It made the job of Stamford southpaw knuckleballer Carlos Vega much easier than one may have expected. Vega worked all five innings to get the win, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He also helped himself at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort that included a three-run homer. 

Stamford improved to 14-6 overall and 6-3 in district play. Anson fell to 8-8 and 4-5.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville senior takes our weekly award

In a week that featured at least a half dozen athletes who could have taken our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, we finally settled on a Stephenville senior for our weekly award. 

Willis Jackson, one of the premiere speedsters in the Big Country, took four district titles in the District 6-4A meet last week

This included individual gold medals in the 100 meters (10.66), long jump (22-8.5) and Triple jump (43-8.5). He also collected gold with the 800 relay team (1:28.53), along with a silver with the 400 relay (42.45). 

“Willis is headed to the area track meet in five events,” coach Kolt Kittley said. “He comes to workouts every day with a big smile and a great attitude.

“He was huge in helping us win the district track meet this year.”

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2026 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Scoring and rebounding is only part of the story when it comes to basketball. Behind the scenes and beyond the view of the public, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who exude the most of it. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are, though some of the area’s top players are on this list. 

The Gym Rat team is about effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and that championship foundations are built upon.

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2025-26 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Evan Ren

2026 All-BCP Boys Basketball Superlatives: Gaylor, Toof, Ruffin, Britting, Bleiker take the top spots

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Rising Stars Team: Future standouts to keep an eye on!

Here is our 2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys’ Basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2026 All-BCP Girls Basketball Superlatives: Hearne, Hudson, Enduki, Le Borgne, Crisler are the honorees

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

by Evan Ren

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Rising Stars Team: Top area standouts of the future

Here is our 2026 All-Big Country Preps Girl’s Basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

DISTRICT 4-5A BASEBALL: Wylie falls to Wichita Falls Memorial, Cooper clinches postseason berth

All it took was a 90-second stretch for things to unravel for the Wylie baseball team at home against Wichita Falls Memorial in a crucial District 4-5A matchup on Friday night.

With Carter Hoffman facing a 2-2 count with two outs in the top of the seventh of a 4-4 game, the Memorial senior appeared to swing at an offering from Wylie pitcher Gehrig Fletcher — an effort that had Fletcher walking off the mound and Memorial coach Rob Johnson walking down the third base path towards his own dugout.

In a wild turn of events, Hoffman was ruled to have not offered at the pitch, with an appeal of the checked swing being unheralded to extend the frame. Two pitches later, Hoffman hit an inside-the-park home run when Wylie center fielder Blaze Ruffin appeared to lose his footing while trying to stop a hard charge at cutting the ball off, and the three-pitch sequence allowed the Mavericks to escape with a 5-4 win on Friday night.

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Area Softball Stat Leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 9)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 9.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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Baseball stat leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 9)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 9.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Clutch hitting, dramatic pitching lift Hawley to huge district win at Stamford

STAMFORD — In a game that saw them outhit 9-7, there was one big plus for the Hawley Bearcats in Tuesday’s 7-2 win at Stamford: performance in the clutch. 

Aside from several timely hits, Hawley also got a big-time pitching effort from starter Jesse Nieto, who escaped multiple jams and stranded 12 Stamford baserunners to help the Bearcats break a first-place tie in District 8-2A.

Jake Bristow was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI while Nieto delivered 6.1 innings on the bump to lift Hawley (14-7-1, 6-1) which took sole possession of first place with the win. Stamford slipped into second at 13-5 and 5-2.

“This is big for us because we’re a young team, just like Stamford,” Hawley coach Jamie Seago said. “This is always a tough place to play so it was a big-game environment for us. 

“Hopefully, as we move along this will help us (develop) some confidence.” 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Cooper strikes first, but Abilene High storms back for Crosstown Showdown win

Following last Thursday’s 11-4 come-from-behind victory over Wichita Falls Memorial, Abilene High softball coach Jenna Aguirre talked about how being in a routine helps her squad.

Tuesday’s Crosstown Showdown at the CHS softball field helped the Lady Eagles find that routine again as they completed a season sweep of Cooper with a 7-1 win.

It was the first time AHS had played a Tuesday game in two weeks, and the win moved Abilene High to 6-0 this year on Tuesday nights. The Lady Eagles also improved to 18-9-1 overall and 6-0 in District 4-5A play with two games left in the regular season.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock southpaw takes our top spot

In a week that features three entries from Brock, the top spot goes to one of the Eagles and with good reason. 

Senior southpaw Evan O’Conner takes Big Country Preps Player of the Week Award after throwing a six-inning no hitter against Glen Rose last week. 

The Arizona State-bound hurler was nearly perfect, throwing only 80 pitches, walking just one and fanning 13 Tigers. He is consistently pegging the radar gun in the mid 90s.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Garrett outduels Ferguson, helps Wylie take season series from Abilene High

Facing off with Abilene High ace George Ferguson, who had not allowed an earned run all year entering Thursday, Wylie coach Grant Martin knew he’d need a strong start of his own to have any chance of leaving Blackburn Field with a win.

In his pursuit of that, he turned to a senior who had done most of the pitching in his career out of a relief role.

Colby Garrett, who pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to beat AHS on Tuesday, delivered exactly what his coach was looking for in Thursday’s rematch, allowing one run in a gusty complete-game effort to outduel Ferguson in a 5-1 Bulldogs victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High rallies out of early hole to down WF Memorial 11-4

Trailing Wichita Falls Memorial 4-1 after two and a half innings, the Abilene High softball team found itself in an unfamiliar spot Thursday at the AHS softball field.

But after mustering just one run through the first two innings, the Lady Eagles scored 10 runs over their final four trips to the plate, chasing Lady Mavericks starter Madi Walker after just 2.1 innings before abusing reliever Sam Lail for seven runs in an an 11-4 win.

The victory, which came on Strikeout Cancer and Teacher Appreciation night for AHS, kept the Lady Eagles (17-9-1 overall) perfect in District 4-5A play at 5-0. With it, they remain game ahead of second-place Wylie, which they’ll face for the second time April 14 after matchups against Cooper (Tuesday) and Wichita Falls Legacy (April 10).

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Patient offensive approach leads Wylie to run-rule victory over Cooper

The end result might have been the same, but the journey to get there was anything but when the Wylie and Cooper softball teams started the second half of District 4-5A play Thursday night at Bulldog Field.

The Lady Cougars were without normal shortstop Abbey Alvarado and with six players playing different defensive positions than they did two weeks earlier against the Lady Bulldogs, they committed seven errors while Wylie’s offense pounded out 12 hits in a 13-2 win.

Thursday’s win gave the Lady Bulldogs a season sweep of the Southtown Showdown after taking the first game 5-2 at Cooper on St. Patrick’s Day.

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Baseball stat leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 2)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 2.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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Area Softball Stat Leaders
by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 2)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 2.

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: McCarty’s homer, patience at the plate lift Wylie to key 7-2 win over Abilene High

For most of five innings Tuesday, the Wylie and Abilene High baseball teams were locked in a thrilling pitcher’s duel, competing with playoff intensity in front of an engaged capacity crowd at Bulldog Field.

With the Eagles leading 2-1 in the home half of the fifth after George Ferguson had broken a 1-all tie with an RBI single in the top of the inning, the outcome of the key District 4-5A matchup was still very much in doubt, and a narrow win one way or the other seemed all but inevitable.

But with two outs in that frame, Wylie freshman Myles McCarty launched a game-tying home run to right field, flipping the momentum on a dime. The blast kicked off a walk-fueled five-run rally that would finally give WHS some separation in a 7-2 win for the Bulldogs.

Continue reading “GAME STORY: McCarty’s homer, patience at the plate lift Wylie to key 7-2 win over Abilene High” →

by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME REPORT: Faries dominant as Wylie softball cruises to 10-0 win over Wichita Falls Memorial

The Wylie softball team closed out the first half of District 4-5A play with a 10-0 thrashing of Wichita Falls Memorial on Tuesday night behind a stellar effort in the circle from Avie Faries.

Faries retired all nine batters that she faced in the game, recording five strikeouts, while benefiting from an offense that had six doubles in the first three innings. Faries needed just 35 pitches, including 25 strikes, to complete her easy night.

Wylie (15-12 overall, 3-1 in district) wasted no time putting the Lady Mavericks (12-10-1, 1-3) on the ropes as Faries retired Memorial in order on just 11 pitches in the first inning before the Lady Bulldogs offense got rolling with a six-run first inning — doing most of that damage with two outs in the frame.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall senior claims this week’s award

As one would expect, the Jim Ned Relays had a quality field of competition last week, opening the door for one of its athletes to snag Big Country Preps Player of the Week honors. 

So it’s not surprising that its top performer sits atop of our weekly list of highlighted competitors from around the area. 

Wall senior Bryson McFarden takes our weekly accolade after medaling five times in Tuscola with four golds and a silver. 

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